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When I cleared out my make-up stash a while ago, I noticed that while I have a good selection of concealers, they all come in a doe-foot applicator, liquid format.

What I was missing was a thicker, slightly drier concealer that would work well in covering blemishes and marks on the face. I considered getting the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, but have read multiple times that it is very dry and cakey.

Enter the Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer which appears to tick all the boxes. Thicker cream formula: check. High coverage: check. And while I do not love the fact that it comes in a pot, I have been loving reaching for this these past couple of weeks.

Now, the color line-up is the same as the Radiant Creamy Concealer, but the shades tend to run a tiny bit darker. I picked up the same shade Vanille (Light 2) anyway, since I don’t use it as a brightening concealer as I do under the eyes. The color works well with my skin tone and blends into the rest of the face seamlessly.

The formula itself is lovely. Highly covering and not tacky without leaving the skin too dry and flaky, this is a unique blend of a long-wearing concealer that doesn’t accentuate texture or dry patches. However, I have been hesitant to use it under the eyes. As I said, it is not brightening at all and the drier texture makes me weary about using it on my dehydrated undereyes.

For now, I will stick to using this strictly as a face concealer and I have to say, it has been doing its job amazingly.

Jo Malone, you did it again. A few years after roping me in with their wonderful Nectarine Blossom and Honey perfume, I once again have fallen in love with one of their releases – Wood Sage and Sea Salt.

I have read about this numerous times on beauty blogs and had the opportunity to smell it for myself a few weeks ago. So when a hefty discount code arrived in my inbox, I took the plunge and ordered the smaller 30ml size.

Just as I expected, the scent is just as lovely on the skin as it is on a tester strip and I think it is perfect for this time of year. Fresh but distinctly herby and woodsy, this is a far stretch from my usual perfume preferences (Narciso Rodriguez EdT, Burberry The Beat or the above mentioned Nectarine Blossom and Honey). While on the first spray, it does come off rather unisex and spicy, it dries down to a distinctly clean but feminine scent that is unlike anything I have ever tried.

I do live near a large body of water, so this perfume holds somewhat of a home-y and nostalgic feeling for me and I can see myself purchasing the full size of this as soon as I run out.

The hype around this scent is 100% warranted, which is something that rarely happens for me with beauty products. Be sure to check this one out!

For a while now I’ve been lusting after the face products from theBalm, especially their highlighter Mary Lou-Manizer and the Frat Boy Blush. So when filling up my basket on feelunique.com during their sale, I decided to bite the bullet an get one of the two.

I picked up the blush, since my make-up drawer is chock full with highlighters (not that my blush collection is small by any means…) and I couldn’t be happier with my purchase.

The cute packaging is very slim and made out of sturdy cardboard, so I’m hoping that it will hold up nicely. It houses a mirror (which I never use anyway) and a very decent amount of the product. The powder itself is super soft and applies evenly onto the skin. It’s a beautiful coral-ly pink that goes with most make-up looks and perks the face up without being to overbearing. What I like most about it however, is that while it doesn’t contain any shimmer, it’s not at all flat or dull but has a nice satin finish that makes the powder look natural and fresh on the skin.

I think this might become a new everyday staple for me, since it is a subtle enough color to pair with a number of different looks. And while it is definitely a warm color, I can see it working with fall and winter appropriate make-up as well. So far, I am impressed by theBalm and I’m most definitely going to pick up more from them.

Last weekend, I mooched around the beauty hall of a nearby city, ready to reward myself for a successfully taken test earlier in the day. My eyes landed on the Kiehl’s counter and since I’ve had good luck with their products in the past, I decided to try out something new from them.

My money went towards the Micro-Blur Skin Perfector, which is marketed as a treatment/primer-hybrid. Since I have dispensed the last drops of my Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer weeks ago (and the hefty price tag and inconvenient packaging have kept me from repurchasing), I was in need of a new primer to keep my slightly oily t-zone in check and the promises of better skin with frequent use lured me in completely.

I have applied the product today for the first time (under the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer – I’ll save the rave on this for another day) and though I cannot comment on the skincare properties, I does look and feel very nice. The product, which dispenses as a caramel-colored cream, goes onto the skin with a slight silicone-y feel that offers a natural but matte and smooth canvas for foundation. There is no change in color, so I am not sure what the tint is about, but it seems to even out the tone of the skin somewhat.

I kept my routine the same except for this and after 7 hours of wear, the make-up on the middle of my face (where it fades the quickest) does appear to be holding up more nicely than usual. So while it is not the primary claim of the product to mattify the skin and add longevity to your make-up, I would totally vouch for that effect. So far, I am impressed.

And even if there’s no visible improvement to my skin’s texture or appearance with this product, I think I’ll be quite happy keeping this in my make-up stash instead of my skincare shelf.

While the first throes of fall have already struck me down with what appears to be my third (!!!) sinusitis of the year, I’ve had enough time to ponder one of the biggest questions in life – what lipstick to get with my six Back to MAC empties.

My dear mom, who offered to visit the MAC counter for me, received a list with three picks in case one of them wasn’t available.

The one she came back with was MAC Crosswires, a color that I never paid much attention to in the past, but that struck my eye in a post by the lovely Estée from essiebutton. It is a beautiful warm reddish coral that packs a punch but isn’t too bright for everyday wear.

Due to the fact that my face is not feeling (and looking) its best right now, I haven’t been able to take this one for a spin, but seeing as it is a Cremesheen formula, which I usually love, I’m excited to give it a whirl as soon as I am over this crazy cold.